"It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight."
―Vladimir Nabokov
~~~~~~~~~~~
HIDAAYA
~~~~~~~~~~
As a teacher in her prime, I believe that continous research and study is the key to continous excellence in teaching. You cannot give what you don't have. So I've got to have it before I give it. The good thing is, I'm a mad lover of anything that has pages, ready to dive into that ocean and see if its worth the swim or not. And for that reason, If I got lost anywhere, one could look at the bookstores in the state and would surely find me in one of them.
Bookstores are my favorite places to be but this one just topped the list of my most favorite bookstores. The place felt like a haven to me. Rows and rows of books and magazines and even some paintings and sculptures.
The place was a two storey building, the first floor was the cafe with beautiful brown tables and chairs arranged in the spacious room. When we came in there was a song playing from somewhere inside the room but I couldn't point out where exactly. There was a long chaise lounge sitting by the left wall and a long thick table in front of it and the rest of the chairs and tables were arranged all around. And then there was the counter, showcasing different designs and flavors of cakes and doughnuts, breads and samosas and different teas and coffees and drinks.
All the walls were painted a very light shade of green that almost looked white and flowers were arranged beautiful. The different shades of brown of the furnitures added an almost homey feeling to the place and I just loved it.
I was there with my friend, Amira, and we were both in love with the first floor already. But if this felt like love, what did...?
Amira and I hurried to the staircase that led to the second floor. And fourteen steps later, ohh-la-la I fell dangerously, very wholly, in love with the bookstore.
"What is this beauty? Oh my Allah." Amira said, our arms linked together.
"Amy, abeg, if they have vacancies let's apply for job here now." I replied.
Both our jaws hanged open. The second floor of the Cake Cafe & Bookstore building was the "bookstore". There were long beautiful rows and rows of bookshelves, each with it's genre carved at the top of the shelves. They were romance, fantasy, thriller, mystery, crime, historical romance, paranormal and adventure. And then there was another shelf that had The Classics carved at the top, another had Religion and another had Magazines and Others carved at the top.
The place was so spacious, only the left side held all these shelves. The right side of the floor had chairs and tables, a few desktops and two long couches arranged and water dispensers by the side. The walls of this floor were painted pale pink and white with art frames hanging on them. Potted plants were artfully scattered about, adding to the beauty of the beautiful setting.
I and Amira just couldn't stop staring and smiling and wowing. We walked to the shelf that had the Classics.
"Oh my God, Lord of the rings, Harry Potter, The Hobbit and damn I do hope they have those vacancies." Amy fanned herself with her hand dramatically as she said that.
"Ameeen sister."
At the far end of the room, there were a number of paintings and calligraphies arranged on a table.
Amira and I walked around the whole place two more times, oohing and aaahing when we come across books by authors that we know, love or are familiar with.
Since it was our first time here, we decided to go back in a few days and check the books more properly before we buy any.
Finally, we walked back to down to the first floor and started the feat of choosing which snack to buy. Glazed or filled doughnuts? What about those red velvet cakes?
'I'll take filled doughnuts. Four please.' Amy said.
'Okay, I'll take the red velvet. A box of six to takeaway.' I said.
The pretty girl behind the counter went to work packing the snacks for us. A sound came from the door and we looked simultaneously towards it. A little girl that couldn't have been more than two years old, dressed in a blue mini sun dress and loafers toddled in. She looked too adorable I couldn't stop myself from smiling and waving at her a little.
And then a much larger foot stepped in beside her. Clean freak like me immediately noticed this foot's clean, clipped nails. The other foot stepped in and my eyes traced up from both feet to eyes.
Our gazes locked.
One, two, three seconds and I forced myself to look away. The man that had just come in, lowered his eyes to the baby toddling in front of him.
I turned my attention back to pretty girl behind the counter and we pay for the snacks. We took the boxes from her and turned to walk out.
Something, something magnetic gripped my eyes and made me turn to glance at the man who had just come in one more time. I watched as he picked his toddler up and pointed at the snacks.
I smiled and we walked out of the building.
'I could speak to him for you 'ya know.' Amy said as she did an awkward wink with both her eyes.
'Who?' I tried my best to look oblivious as I said that.
'You know who.'
'The baby? So beautiful right?'
Amy looked at me and laughed.
Because we both knew it wasn't about the baby.
We walked back to my car and even as I drove off, I couldn't shake off the weight of that three seconds gaze I just had with the most intense pair of eyes I'd ever looked into.
~~~~~~~~
I came back home to find my sisters Halira and Raheema in the living room enjoying a bowl of popcorn but they weren't watching a movie. My weird sisters were trying to see how long they could stand on one leg.
Halira's slim legs kept shaking until she gave up and flopped down with a barking laugh. It took Raheema, the chubbier sister a few more seconds before she too fell to the carpeted floor, laughing.
And these are 20 and 22 year olds.
"What in the potato are you doing?" I said as I took off my shoes and walked in.
"Wa'alaikumus salam Yayus," Raheema said, "oohh what have we with you milady?"
Both girls hurried towards me to snatch the box of cakes from my hand. I let them take it before moving further into the living room.
"Where's Baba?" I asked as I reached for a cupcake from the box on Raheema's lap.
"Out with Ya Adam. Baba had something to do at the office and Ya Adam to the mechanic about his car." It was Halira who answered me.
I nodded my head. "And Inna?"
She signaled that Inna, our mom, was in her parlor and I made my way there.
The corridor that connected the larger living room to the smaller one had a big framed picture of my whole family.
There was Baba, our Senior Advocate father, Inna, our soft but strict mother, Ya Adam, our handsome Architect brother and then there was me, Halira and Raheema, all smiling at the camera that had taken the picture.
Inna's cozy little parlor felt warm and homey. My inna was sitting on the carpet leaning her elbow on a throw pillow, legs outstretched and rubbing her feet together. The TV was on and a Bollywood movie was playing but Inna's eyes were closed.
Inna in relaxed mode.
"Asalamu alaikum warahmatullahi ta'ala wa barakatuhu."
"Wa'alaikumus salam. Wannan sallama naki babba. Toh kema peace be upon you." Inna opened her eyes and adjusted her position on the carpet. She was wearing a simple bubu gown with a matching scarf tied loosely on her head, her face was plain except for the kohl she never missed putting on but my Inna looked beautiful.
Old as she claims to be, Inna was still a beauty, with skin the color of burnt clay and an elegant sense of style, she never misses any chance to look clean and beautiful. A true believer in good clothes, good food and skin care.
I laughed at her reply before sitting down beside her.
"Good afternoon Inna. Sannu da gida, na dawo." I said all that in one breath.
"Toh sannu da dawowa. How was your day? How's Amira?"
"It was fine Alhamdulillah and she's fine too. We dropped by this new cafe slash bookstore on our way home, me and Amira and oh my Allah Inna. It was beautiful. And big. Kaii wurin nan yayi min kyau. You have to see it Inna..." And I told her all I'd seen at the Cake Cafe, carefully excluding clipped toe nails guy.
Inna laughed at the expressions I was making before she replied,
" Toh shikenan. If it's that beautiful we'll go see it next week maybe. But for now, we might be having guests this evening and I don't know what to prepare for them yet. You and your sisters should come help me decide and get things ready before 8 p.m alright."
I nodded, "I could have bought those samosas if I'd known we were having guests. Who are they anyway? Can I take a bath first?"
"Wallahi fa. Is there any where we can order samosas? And won't it be better to take that bath later? After we're done with the food?"
"Okay, I'll check with Halira if her friend still does deliveries. And yes, I think I'll take that bath after cooking." My head was already doing calculations of what to cook and what not to cook as I made my way to my room.
It was only after I closed the door that I remembered Inna hadn't told me who our guests are.
~'~'~'~'~'
"Just beat iit...beat iit...beat iit. Noo one wants to bee defeated..." Me and Raheema were busy in the kitchen, arranging samosas and cups and bottles of water on trays. Halira was busy with the dining area -which consists of a large soft carpet, four Ottomans and four small tables- arranging the Ottomans and throw pillows and tables.
We sang along with Michael Jackson's Beat it, trying and failing to dance as he did. Making funny moves that made us look like dancing crabs. No offense Sebestian.
I handed Raheema the tray I'd arranged cut fruits on and the turned back to the samosa business. We had decided to cook Jollof rice and moi moi for dinner fancying things up with sliced fruits and samosas as appetizers and the traditional zobo or hibiscus drink as the wash it down drink.
Just then, we heard the sound of the gate opening and a car revving it's way in.
"Baba's back." I whispered to myself as I washed my hands, wiped them dry with the kitchen towel and my eyes did a quick sweep of the kitchen in case I forgot anything. Satisfied, I nodded and rushed out of the kitchen.
"Wait, they're here already?" I asked the two female heads peeking out the window in the living room.
"Yeah, there's Baba and Ya Adam and the others must be the guests."
When Halira said guests, I realized that meant we didn't know them so I went to the window to peek too.
There was an elderly lady, a younger lady, an elderly man who was shaking hands with Baba and then the man in the driver's seat. My eyes fell on the younger lady and I saw that she was holding a little toddler's hand.
Toddler. It was the toddler I'd seen at the Cake Cafe earlier today, wearing the same loafers but a different skirt and blouse. She must be the younger lady's baby.
Automatically, my eyes went to the driver's door and I felt like my heart beat doubled a little there. The man opened the door and stepped out, and I looked down.
It was him.
Clean, clipped toe nails guy from the Cake Cafe.
~'~'~'~'~'~'
Hello and good evening. Thank you for checking out this book.
If you liked the beginning please click the star to vote. I'll love to see your thoughts on the books so far, so please give a minute to comment.
I'd also appreciate it if you share the story with friends and family.
Hidaaya says Thank you too. 😉
Xoxo
MidnightHour.